Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-12
TEE LAST ACT.
The TraEedy's Dramatic Ending In
Cook Comfy Hail.

It lacked Just seven and half minutes
OF tine hour of high noon when single
whltesaTOadcl figure, above which was
"a face o; vcl.owish p1iior-the face of
August Spies -pls5Cd the fist post Of
thr gliiows The gaping crowd ten feet
below half rose inyoluutariy from their
cLais at the first glimpse OF the appari-
ton nlvaurlng across the sciit0ld. Spies
looked calm and Glanced ut the reporters
with ttace OF his Old-tlmc cynical
smiia lie walked firmly over the drop,
guided hy the grasp OF deputy. To tie
larihc,t edre OF the gallowS. Following
close came Fischer, Close enough 20
touch Spics's shr)Ua had his hands not
been pn,oned under the white muslin
Fischers countenGncc hal peculiar
olistcn. totally unlike the ashnrs, of
Engcrs heavy features who came next,
and in strange contrast with the dead
lack Of color in the pinchod linelmcnt,
of Parsons.
THE ONCE JAUNrT, vlyAcIOU5 TEXAN
came last. Vithercl old man. He had
aged twenty Yelr5 since the day, scarce
twelve months before, when he tripped
lightly into court before Judge Gary and
Aipplnt.y declared that he WAS ready to
be trcd ut once ior his lie. The mo-
mcnt his feet touched the scafiJld Par
sons seemed 70 completely lose his
identity, and to feel that his spirit was
TO longer il part of his body. lie had
wrought himself mp to an ccstacy OF
solemn Standardization. Only he-the
one Amcrican-secmed 10 realize to the
inll that be must die N manner TO im-
press, il possible, on all future gcnem-
TONS the e,thought that be was martyr.
No tragedian that has paced the stage in
America ever made more marvellous
presentation of q self-chosen part, per-
iect in every detail. The upward turn
Of his ewes his distant, far-away look,
and, above all, the attitude Of apparent
complete resignation, that every fold OF
the awkward shroud only served to make
more distinct, was by far
THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE.
Z OF the entire gallows picture, the
SQUAT form Of Engel alongside with the
stupid, wide-iawed face made a hideous
contrast to Parsons's assumption OF tae
halo Of a martyr. Fischer WIS a head
and shoulders taller than the other
three. making his occasional looks Of
too evident brayadO more noticeable
than they might otherwise be, and at Il
sorry disadvantage compared with the
steady coolncss OF Spies. The latter's
exhibition of quiet, thorough nerve far
surpassed as wonder the demeanor OF
any OF his comrades.
ADJUSTING TIE ROPES.
The four burly deputies standing to tho
rear OF the four condemned men began
without delay to adjust the ropes, Spies's
moose being the one first placed. lie
did not appear TO regard IT OF any more
consequence than a new linen collar.
The knot was slipped down the cord close
against his neck. Spies did not show
any tremor, but when the same process
was being carried ont with Fischer he
turned and quietly whispered to the
baiifT some suggestion concerning the
rope. Fishers occasional aTdOr was
quite less noticeable when he felt the
hempen strand, and Engel bit his under
lip harl when his turn came. just then
Dir. Murphy, h youDgphyslcian standing
back OF Eugel, whispered joke at En-
gels ear. Incredible as it may seem
THE Low-BRowED ANARCHIST LAUGHED
OUTRIGHT,
with the rope around his neck and
while another was being fastened on
Parsons by his side. But the grotesque
laugh stopped in Il single instant, and
Parsons meekly as a saint turned his
ewes upward ut the dangling line above
him. Before the four Anarchists had an
inkling of what was to be done, the caps
were deftly slipped upon their heads
and drawn quickly down to their necks,
shutting OH the view OF each as COM
pletely and with less warning than does
a camera-cloth of a photographer.
August Spies was the first of the four
doomed men TO make use OF his wits while
he could. In tone OF intense bitterness
of spirit he, the man who wrote the in
famous reyenge-circular, hissed ont be-
tween his tightly y-clenched teeth "There
viii come time when our silence will
be more powerful than the voices they
are stIaugling to death"
"HURRAH FoR ANARCHY"
The last syllable of Spies's concluding
words, hoarse with suppressed passion
had not reached the end, when Epgel
raising his voice wildly, cried g Hurrah
for Anarchy" Fischer caught tho fire